Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I think some of the goals and methods of the occupy movement are wrong and immature but if the government can't link someone directly to terrorist or otherwise violent activity it should be criminal to put them on the no-fly list.

Mark Faulk was detained February 29th for 45 minutes for an "enhanced inspection" at Will Rogers Airport while trying to fly to New York for a film premiere. He was released in time to make his flight but they could have kept him as long as they wanted with no repercussions. His return trip was nearly identical even though he had been checked here. While the TSA refuses to tell Mark why he is on the no-fly list, his participation in Occupy OKC is the only thing that stands out. If a protester does something illegal it should be handled locally with criminal charges, not a federal "suspicious of being suspicious" list.

The no-fly list was established to stop known terrorists from getting on airplanes in the aftermath of 9/11/2001. If its purpose has migrated into a soviet style enemies of the state list who will be next?

If the simple act of protest has become an automatic terrorist indicator maybe it's time for all of us to join the next one. Freedom of speech and freedom of association were rights granted by God and then confirmed and protected by the U.S. Constitution.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Situational awareness: "It struck without warning" is rarely true. If you WANT storm warnings you can GET storm warnings. Don't depend on hearing sirens inside your house. A weather radio is best, a local TV station is good too. LOCAL, not CNN or Discovery.

A tornado watch means conditions are right for tornadoes to develop. A tornado warning means radar has indicated a tornado is imminent and/or someone has actually seen a tornado.

Radar does not show what's happening on the ground. That's where trained spotters come in. DON'T go looking for storms without training. You can be hurt or killed.

The "bent neck" rule: If you're bending your neck to look up at a funnel, YOU ARE TOO CLOSE!

Don't take cover under an overpass because it turns into a wind tunnel. A TV crew got away with it once. Others have died.

There are a lot of scary looking clouds. There are not that many tornadoes.

And it's not just about tornadoes. Flooding and lightning are the top two storm related killers.

Don't drive into water if you can't see the road under it. The water is deeper than you think. Turn around, don't drown.

Even if you're not close to the storm, if you can hear thunder you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Know what's happening around you and know what you will do if something happens. Planning avoids panic.

About me...

I'm an outspoken conservative in the Bible Belt. I do not believe in a right to not be offended. If you don't like what you read here, feel free to comment and give me your opinion politely, or just leave quietly.